On March 16, 2017, President Xi Jinping held talks with King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at the Great Hall of the People. The two heads of state agreed to maintain the development momentum of bilateral relations, promote practical cooperation in various fields and push China-Saudi Arabia comprehensive strategic partnership for constant and new achievements.

Xi Jinping pointed out that during my visit to Saudi Arabia last year, the important consensus reached with King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud on developing bilateral relations and enhancing cooperation in international and regional affairs has been gradually implemented. I am happy to see this. China-Saudi Arabia relations have the potentiality and condition to achieve greater development. The two sides should stay firm in the general development direction of bilateral relations and jointly create a better future for China-Saudi Arabia relations. China will as always support Saudi Arabia in choosing a development path that suits its own national conditions, making efforts in safeguarding national sovereignty, security and development interests, and playing a greater role in regional and international affairs. China supports Saudi Arabia in achieving Saudi Vision 2030, welcomes Saudi Arabia to be a global cooperation partner in the joint construction of the “Belt and Road”, and is willing to be a global cooperation partner of Saudi Arabia’s economic diversification. China is a reliable and stable market for Saudi Arabia to export its crude oil. Both sides should jointly forge a cooperation pattern of integration in energy field, deepen cooperation in communication, aviation and other fields, and discuss the construction of cooperation platform for finance and investment. Both sides should also continuously enhance cooperation in culture, education, heath, science, technology, tourism, media, security and other fields.

Xi Jinping stressed that China and the Islamic countries have respected each other and carried out win-win cooperation for a long time, setting an example of harmonious coexistence of different civilizations. In dealing with Middle East affairs, China advocates adhering to the principle of respecting national sovereignty and non-interference in internal affairs, resolving differences through political dialogues, relieving the tension of hotspot issues, sticking to give play to the role of the UN as a main channel, listening more to the voice of regional organizations and countries, and taking the particularity of regional history, nation and religious sect into fully account. Many issues in the Middle East are rooted in development, and their solutions ultimately lie in development. China is willing to build the “Belt and Road” together with countries along it, including countries in the Middle East, in a bid to share opportunity in opening up, deepen cooperation in connectivity and advance peaceful development.

Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud expressed that he is deeply satisfied with the high-level development of Saudi Arabia-China relations. President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Saudi Arabia last year was fairly successful, which played an important role in propelling bilateral comprehensive friendly cooperation. Saudi Arabia firmly upholds the one-China policy and is willing to, through the platform of Saudi Arabia-China High-level Joint Committee, further deepen bilateral cooperation in economy, trade, investment, finance, energy and other fields to elevate bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership. The current world is facing with various challenges including the threat of terrorism, and the international community should form concerted efforts to jointly tackle them. Saudi Arabia highly appreciated China’s stance of non-interference in internal affairs in international affairs and peacefully resolving differences through dialogues as well as China’s important role in safeguarding international peace and security. Saudi Arabia hopes China to play a greater role in Middle East affairs, and is ready to make joint efforts with China to promote world and regional peace, security and prosperity.

After the talks, the two heads of state witnessed the signing of bilateral cooperation documents covering economy, trade, energy, production capacity, culture, education, science, technology and other fields, and jointly attended the closing ceremony of an exhibition titled Roads of Arabia: Archaeological Treasures of Saudi Arabia held at the National Museum. Xi Jinping addressed the closing ceremony, congratulating on the complete success of the exhibition, and pointed out that this exhibition is an outcome of propelling bilateral cultural dialogues and enhancing cultural exchanges and mutual learning as well as a significant embodiment of China-Saudi Arabia comprehensive strategic partnership. Xi Jinping stressed that China and Saudi Arabia should create a people-to-people and cultural exchanges pattern featuring liveliness, vividness, diversity, orders and harmonious coexistence to constantly lay a solid people-to-people and cultural foundation for China-Saudi Arabia cooperation.

Prior to the talks, Xi Jinping held a welcoming ceremony for Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud at the North Hall of the Great Hall of the People. Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress Chen Zhu, State Councilor Yang Jiechi, Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference Liu Xiaofeng and others were present.